Quick post here just to get something off my chest. Minimal editing, so no grammer/structure judging, ok?
Yesterday I waited on hold for about 10 minutes to talk to some at the USPS. When I finally got Louise on the phone, she wasn’t able to really help me, but she genuinely tried to. When I told her thanks for trying, she said “you’re very welcome, and thanks for being so pleasant. I like pleasant. Even though you’re calling with a problem, you were pleasant and I really appreciate that.”
She must have said “pleasant” about 6 times. I thought back to my conversation with her. There was nothing remarkable about it. But I didn’t yell. I didn’t snark. All I did was ask for help and say thanks when I didn’t get it.
Imagine being Louise. Imagine being yelled at all day long by people who feel that it’s their right to be jerks. Imagine having to follow a bunch of rules set up by managers who don’t understand (or care) about the actual customer you’re talking to. Imagine how, well, pleasant it must be to encounter someone who isn’t trying to make themselves feel better at the expense of others.
Aside: Remember that line from Steel Magnolias? “I am PLEASANT! Dammit, I just saw Drum Eatenten at the Piggly-Wiggly and I SMILED at the sum’bitch before I could help myself!” Ha!
Anyway, that’s it, really. It’s good to remember such things if you’re preparing a rant about a website that doesn’t work, or customer service that sucks. If you’re a comment troll, I really wish I could figure out why you insist of making everything about you and your negativity. But I suspect being pleasant won’t get me very far in that effort.
I leave you with this remarkable play-by-play of how a rainbow cake recipe comment stream can go off the rails. Read it. It’s worth it. And then go be pleasant to someone, because lord knows we need more pleasant in the world.
http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/rainbow-cake-recipe-inspires-comment-apocalypse-1592575661
Everything and a Racehorse 